The Progress. [volume] (White Earth, Minn.) 1886-1889, 1887-11-12
QUERIES AND ANSWERS.

b Article 2, Of the agreement of
1856, provides that "to improve
the morals and protect the proper
|ty of the Indians, hereafter no fe-
male Of the consolidated tribes
ssarnll be allowed to marry any
white man unless before said mar
rage is solemnized said white man
shall give such evidence of his
good n oral character, and charac-
ter for industry, as shall satisfy
the agent in charge Of the reser-
walton, the priest or minister in
charge of the parish, or church,
on said reservation, and the chief
Of the band to which the female
is attached, that he is fit person
to reside among the Indians.''
One is to infer from the forego-
ing, though the intercourse law,
and provisions in former treaties
are still in force regulating such
matters, that the Government has
been forestalled, and that the des-
TIMES Of our "dusky maidens' are
to be controlled by the persons
specified in the foregoing proviso.
The intercourse law strictly pro
hibits the presence of any white
man upon any Indian reservation,
unless duly authorized by the I'm
dian Commissioner, and on fur
nishing such satisfactory evidence
that he is a proper person to re-
side among the Indians. Whether
the provision in the agreement Of
Aug. 1886, relative to this subject,
will serve better to protect the
Indian, and be conducive to a
higher standard of morality, re-
|Inains to be verified. The history
Of any civilized nation invariably
shows that interference by the
church in the temporal affairs of
the people has not resulted favora-
bly,, and no nation has guarded
more strictly against this than the
American people. :f..
Further study Of this question
presents another phase. An un-
married female having received
her allotment of land, what legal
process could be instituted by the
Government, or the church to rem
der her marriage, if it should &C.
cur of Of the reservation, a multi
ty? or in consequence of an allot-
tee returning to her home with
her husband, to deprive her of her
home and allotment Of land?
If, also in the event of three or
four religious denominations es-
tablishing churches or parishes on
the reservation, the question might
arise, which Of the three or four
ministers or priests is to be con-
suited for marriage license? This
in time might become a serious
question, for it is not many years
ago since an Indian agent recog-
nized but one church on this res.
ervatlon, in consequence Of which
trouble ensued, and the military
was called upon to preserve the
peace; and serious results, may
hap bloodshed would unquestion-
ably have followed had not the
intelligent influence Of embers
Of the reservation been brought to
bear in the premises, and thus the
mischief Of bungling and AFRO
CANT agent abetted by an unscru-
pulous Inspector was thereby
averted. ''Forewarned, is to be
farearmed," it would therefor be
wise if some plan were devised to
obviate probable difficulties, and
guard against troubles likely to
occur.
In the fourth question, as in
quired by our correspondent, sug-
gestions were made to the North
west Indian commission which ap-
parently, they did not consider Of
any moment, as they made but
brief mention Of the matter to the
Commissioner Of Indian affairs, as
follows: "a few Of the intelligent